1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an output control method and apparatus for analyzing input information coming in from outside and forming a visible image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional image forming apparatuses of a type like WPS (Windows Printing System) allow a host computer to execute part of processing job of print data. In a technique for indicating to a user a status of the apparatus, the apparatus starts its printing mechanism at the moment the apparatus itself is initiated, and displays an animation indicative of paper delivery on the host computer screen.
In an image forming apparatus of a type which receives PDL (page description language) language to form an image, its printing mechanism not necessarily starts its printing immediately when data of one page of sheet is sent to the image forming apparatus, because processing print data takes time. Depending on the processing capability of the image forming apparatus, all processing steps are in progress in the order of an expansion of the print data into a frame buffer, an initialization of the printing mechanism, a printing, and a paper deliver, and a host computer is unable to know the timing of the paper delivery.
According to the present invention, in an image forming apparatus, communicating means, for bilaterally communicating with a connected apparatus, bilaterally communicates information with the connected apparatus, setting means, for setting a communication mode, sets the timing and content of communication with the connected apparatus, storage means, for storing the communication mode set by the setting means, stores the timing and content of the communication with the connected apparatus, communicating means, for performing communication in accordance with the communication mode set by the setting means, communicates with the connected apparatus, detecting means, for detecting a change in the status of an image forming apparatus, detects the change in the status, converting means for converting the status detected by the detecting means into a format for communication, converts the change in status into the format for communication for the connected apparatus, data storage means, for storing data into which the converting means converts the status, stores the change in status for the connected apparatus, and transmitting means, for transmitting the data stored in the storage means, transmits the status of the image forming apparatus to the connected apparatus.
Furthermore in the image forming apparatus, storage means, for storing the information about a usable paper sheet, stores various pieces of information about the usable paper sheet, and detecting means, for detecting the position of each usable paper sheet under delivery, as detecting means for detecting a change in the status of the image forming apparatus, detects the delivery situation of the paper sheet. The apparatus, connected to the image forming apparatus, transmits image data to the image forming apparatus, performs bilateral communication with the image forming apparatus, and has displaying means for displaying an image. In the connected apparatus, receiving means, for receiving data transmitted by the image forming apparatus, receives the information about the status of the image forming apparatus, transmitted by the image forming apparatus, analyzing means, for analyzing the data received, analyzes the status of the image forming apparatus, storage means, for storing graphics and characters, representing the analysis result, stores an image for notifying a user of the status of the image forming apparatus, associating means, for associating the information analyzed by the analyzing means with the image stored in the storage means, selects the image representing the status of the image forming apparatus, and displaying means, for displaying the image selected by the associating means, presents the status of the image forming apparatus.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the output control apparatus preferably comprises communicating means for analyzing a command received from an external apparatus to form image data and for bilaterally communicating with an output apparatus, receiving means for receiving data that indicates that the status of the output apparatus changed, and control means for performing animation control based on the data received by the receiving means.
The animation control preferably controls the start or end of an animation. In the output control apparatus of the present invention, the output apparatus preferably comprises detecting means for detecting the position of each usable paper sheet under delivery, as detecting means for detecting the change in the status of the output apparatus, and controls an animation that simulates the transport of the paper sheet based on the information about the position of the paper sheet.
The output control apparatus of the present invention preferably comprises transmitting means, connected to the output apparatus, for transmitting image data to the output apparatus, displaying means for displaying characters and graphics, analyzing means for analyzing data received, storage means for storing graphics and characters, representing a analysis result, and associating means for associating the information analyzed by the analyzing means with an image stored in the storage means, wherein an image selected by the associating means is displayed by the displaying means.
The communicating means for bilateral communication preferably communicates a command for returning a status when a change in the status of the output apparatus takes place and a command for controlling the timing of the return of the status to the output control apparatus.
The animation control preferably controls the end of the animation depending on whether the paper sheet delivery in the output apparatus has been completed.
The transmission of the information indicating the change in the status of the output apparatus or the animation control is preferably commanded to be enabled or disabled.
The received command is preferably a page description language.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the output control method preferably comprises the communicating step for analyzing a command received from an external apparatus to form an image data and for bilaterally communicating with an output apparatus, and the animation control step for performing animation control based on data that indicates that the status of the output apparatus changed.
The animation control preferably controls the start or end of an animation.
The output apparatus preferably comprises detecting means for detecting the position of each usable paper sheet under delivery, as detecting means for detecting the change in the status of the output apparatus, and controls an animation that simulates the transport of the paper sheet based on the information about the position of the paper sheet.
The output control method preferably comprises the communicating step for communicating image data with the output apparatus, the displaying step for displaying characters and graphics, the analyzing step for analyzing data received, the storing step for storing graphics and characters representing the result of analysis, the associating step for associating the information analyzed in the analyzing step with an image stored in the storing step, wherein an image selected through the associating step is displayed in the displaying step.
The communicating step preferably communicates a command for returning a status when a change in the status of the output apparatus takes place and a command for controlling the timing of the return of the status.
The animation control preferably controls the end of the animation depending on whether the paper sheet delivery in the output apparatus has been completed.
The output control method preferably comprises the step of commanding to be enabled or disabled the information indicating the change in the status of the output apparatus or the animation control.
The received command is preferably a page description language.
According to anther aspect of the present invention, the storage medium preferably stores a program comprising the communicating step for analyzing a command received from an external apparatus to form an image data and for bilaterally communicating with an output apparatus, and the animation control step for performing animation control based on data that indicates that the status of the output apparatus changed.
The animation control preferably controls the start or end of an animation.
The output apparatus preferably comprises detecting means for detecting the position of each usable paper sheet under delivery, as detecting means for detecting the change in the status of the output apparatus, and controls an animation that simulate the transport of the paper sheet based on the information about the position of the paper sheet.
The storage medium preferably stores a program comprising the communicating step for communicating image data with the output apparatus, the displaying step for displaying characters and graphics, the analyzing step for analyzing data received, the storing step for storing graphics and characters representing the result of analysis, the associating step for associating the information analyzed in the analyzing step with an image stored in the storing step, wherein an image selected through the associating step is displayed in the displaying step.
The communicating step preferably communicates a command for returning a status when a change in the status of the output apparatus takes place and a command for controlling the timing of the return of the status.
The animation control preferably controls the end of the animation depending on whether the paper sheet delivery in the output apparatus has been completed.
The program preferably comprises the step of commanding to be enabled or disabled the transmission of the information indicating the change in the status of the output apparatus or the animation control.
The received command is preferably a page description language.